John Velazquez, who broke his collarbone in scary Churchill Downs accident, will return to saddle Monday at Saratoga

New York Daily News—July 9, 2012

John Velazquez will return to the saddle to exercise horses beginning next Monday at Saratoga.

The 40-year-old jockey suffered a broken collarbone in a spill at Churchill Downs on June 16 and has since been under the care of Dr. Stephen O’Brien at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

“I saw Dr. O’Brien today, and he said I was healing very well,” said Velazquez, who will be inducted into Racing’s Hall of Fame on Aug. 10. “After that, I will just have to play it by ear. Hopefully, it won’t be too much longer before I can race again, but I want to make sure I’m strong enough to compete before I get back to riding.”